Names ending in a

Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm. 
 The name arrived in England in 1625 via King Charles I's wife, the French princess Henriette Marie, who became known as Henrietta Maria. Her daughter shared her name but was known as Minette.
 It has been prominent recently through the bestselling book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the story of the poor black woman whose cells became one of the most important tools in medical research. Henrietta Szold was a U.S. Zionist leader and founder of the Hadassah Women's Organization. 
 Henrietta has a number of charming vintage nicknames, including Etta, Hetty and Hattie.

Henrietta

This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names. 

Iona

Very much a boy's name in Italy, it's beginning to be seen as a unisex possibility here: actress Jennie Garth used it for her daughter, as did influencers Alyssa and Dallin Johnson, When spelled Lucca as in the Italian city, it can also be considered one of the place names along with Venezia, Roma, and Milana that make great <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/505/italian-names-for-girls">Italian names for girls</a>.
 
In Hungary, Luca, pronounced LOO-tsaw is a hugely popular choice, and is used as a variation of Lucia. Luca entered the Top 30 in Hungary back in the 2000s and had climbed to the Top 10 by 2012. Since then, it's taken the Number One spot, appearing alongside Hanna and Zoé.
 
In the US, 62 girls were called Luca in a recent year, which is equivalent to less than 1% of all Lucas born.

Luca

Possibly a form of Akua, an Akan name meaning "born of a Wednesday", or a variation on Koa or Makoa, Hawaiian names relating to warriors and strength, Akoa has been most notably used in Cameroon. Until recently, it was rarely heard of in the US, but it entered the stats in 2023 when it was given to 7 babies, only to more than triple in usage in the following year when it was given to 30 boys.
 
Other possible origins for the name include the Cebuano word for "mine" or "by me", the Nahuatl word akoatl / acoatl meaning "water snake", or the Akan name Akosua meaning "born on a Sunday", though this is only conjecture.
 
Parents may well have been influenced by the rise of Hawaiian name Koa and by sports star Monique Akoa Makani to choose this name for their babies.

Akoa

You'll probably be hearing more of this name thanks to the newest Pixar film, featuring Princess Merida, the first Pixar princess--a feisty, athletic, independent medieval Scottish girl with wild red hair. Her name, however, is not Scottish, but a Spanish place name found in both Spain and Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. 

 Will Merida be the next Ariel? Stay tuned. Read more about Merida and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Merida

As an Arabic name, Rania is a variation of Raniya, ultimately derived from the Arabic word ranā meaning "to gaze" or "side look". Other descendants of this root include Ranya and Rana itself. Familiar in the UK, Spain, the Netherlands and France, Rania is currently borne by Rania Al Abdullah, Queen of Jordan. 
 
As a Greek name, it is a diminutive of Ourania (Urania being the English form), and is asociated with the heavens and astrology.
 
As an Indian place name, it is connected to the Sanskrit word meaning "queen".

Rania

Though Dara in the U.S. would be considered mainly a girls' name – the most recent count is 10 times as many girls given the name last year than boys – it's a boys' name in Ireland, where it's in the Top 100 along with variations Daire and Darragh. 

 Dara is also a boys' name in many non-Western cultures, meaning "leader" in Punjabi, "star" in Khmer, and "wealthy" in Persian. And Dara is a male character -- an elf ally of Princess Ciri -- in the popular book, video game and TV series The Witcher.

Dara

Alayla is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a variant spelling of Alaila or Alayah, which themselves are contemporary elaborations of Alaya, meaning 'highborn' or 'exalted' in Arabic. Alternatively, it could be a creative spelling of Aleila, with Hebrew roots meaning 'to ascend.' The name has gained modest popularity in the 21st century, fitting with the trend toward melodic names with the popular 'ayla' sound, similar to Kayla, Layla, and Makayla. Alayla has a flowing, musical quality with its three syllables and alternating consonants and vowels. Its exotic feel combined with relatively straightforward pronunciation makes it appealing to parents seeking something distinctive yet accessible for their daughters.

Alayla

Caia Caecilia was the Roman Goddess of fire and women.  The name Caia would make a truly fresh alternative to the flagging Maya, with which it rhymes.

Caia

Cianna is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a variant of Gianna (Italian feminine form of John, meaning 'God is gracious'), a feminine form of Cian (an Irish name meaning 'ancient' or 'enduring'), or a creative modern formation. The name has a melodic quality with its soft 'c' sound and flowing syllables that make it appealing in contemporary naming trends. While not historically common, Cianna gained modest popularity in the United States during the early 2000s as parents sought names with traditional roots but modern flair. The name is often associated with qualities like gracefulness and creativity. Its cross-cultural appeal makes it work well in diverse communities while remaining distinctive.

Cianna

Cyra is an unusual name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or SI-ra, rhyming with Keira or Tyra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own.  One noted bearer is writer Cyra McFadden.

Cyra

Name that enjoyed some popularity early in the 20th century but now is locked in another, ahem, era.

Layana is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. It may be a variation of Liana (meaning "to climb like a vine"), or have roots in Hawaiian, Arabic, or Latin languages. The name has a flowing, melodic quality with its alternating consonants and vowels. Layana has gained moderate popularity in the 21st century as parents seek unique yet accessible names with an international feel. The name conveys a sense of natural beauty and grace, often associated with tropical imagery. While not among the most common names, Layana has seen increasing usage particularly in multicultural communities. Its appealing sound and relatively straightforward pronunciation make it attractive to parents seeking something distinctive yet approachable.

Layana

Malika is an attractive multi-cultural name--it is also a pet form of Amalia in Hungary.
 Malika Haqq is an actress who is one of Khloe Kardashian's BFFs on Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

Malika

A pretty and little-known Spanish smoosh name, combining Maria with Celia. As such, it may have a number of meanings.
 
On one hand, it could simply be interpreted as meaning "Maria of the Heavens", perhaps as a celebration of the Virgin Mary, however, you could also mix the various meanings of Maria with that of Celia, to give you "drop of the sea in heaven", "bitter heavens" or "beloved heaven". 
 Maricela was popular in the US in the 70s and 90s, peaking in 1976 when it reached #453 on the charts. The alternative form, Maricel, is popular in the Philippines.

Maricela

Cierra is a feminine name with Spanish influences, possibly derived from 'sierra' meaning 'mountain range' or related to the Spanish word 'cerrar' meaning 'to close or finish.' 

The name gained popularity in the United States during the 1990s as a variation of Sierra, with its distinctive spelling offering a more unique option. Cierra has a melodic quality and contemporary feel while maintaining intuitive pronunciation. It fell off the Top 1000 in the 2008..

About 40 baby girls were named Cierra in the US last year, versus more than 500 named Sierra.

Cierra

Evanna is the name of a Harry Potter actress who pronounces it ee-vah-na. This might be considered another international feminine form of the many variations of John; Ivana, Giovanna, and even Joan are cousins of Evanna. It could also be a compound name, combining Eva and Anna.

Evanna

She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today too, as so many ancient goddess names rise to prominence.

More than 50 baby girls were given the name last year, about the same number as were named Eugenia. About twice that many were named Juno. Another similar mythological choice, Hero -- yes, it's a female name -- was given to only 13 baby girls.

Hera

Glamorous and bright and a little trendy, Kaliana blends Kallie and Ana, which could give you the pretty meaning "beauty and grace" (from the Greek kallos and the Hebrew hanan, respectively). Alternatively, it could combine Sanskrit Kali ("the black one") with international Ana or it could be twist on Kalyani ("beautiful, lovely").
 Some sources suggest it is a variation on the Hawaiian names Kailani ("ocean + sky, heavens") or Kalia ("flower wreath, beloved"), but it may also be read as a blend of Karoline and Ana or Kalliope and Ana. 
This particular spelling of the name was given to 51 girls in a recent year, but other versions of the name in the US charts include: Caliana (94), Calianna (35), Kalianna (17), Kalianne (6), and Kaliann (5).

Kaliana

A long-popular name, particularly among the African-American community, Keisha was first publicized by the child actress, Keshia Knight Pulliam, who starred on the old Cosby Show. It entered the US Top 1000 in 1967 and remained there for 30 years, but it hasn't featured again since 1997.
 
Keshia likely emerged as a spin on the Biblical name Keziah - inspired by either the Keh-zee-uh pronunciation of the name, or it's meaning, "cassia tree", sometimes pronounced as cash-uh. Other theories suggest it's a Swahili name meaning "favorite", a variation of Casey, a spin on the Scottish name Keitha, or a contracted form of the Arabic Khadija. 
 
Recent years had seen usage of Keisha dwindle to around 40 babies each year, but, in 2023, it had a small spike of popularity and was given to 70 girls.